The Dust of the World

As I sift through my virtual photoalbum, I chance upon a photo taken last July during the pre-production for the CSFI Shoot.  It's a shot of the Philippine Flag at the House of Representatives, taken just as the sun was slowly retiring.

The image of the solitary flag brings about a sudden rush of patriotism for me.  My mind wanders through the many times this has happened in the past.  I think of all my independence day trips to Luneta. I remember all the highly-charged political discussions I've had with different people. I remember the essay into which I poured my heart and soul for my Jose Rizal class during my third year in college (thanks to one of the most inspiring professors I've known).


As this flash flood of amor patriae slowly ebbs, two thoughts linger.  The first is of Elias' dying breaths as he lay by the riverbanks, looking into the bewildered eyes of a boy whose mother and little brother had just died most horrible deaths.  He said, "I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land! You, who have it to see, welcome it -- and forget not those who have fallen during the night!"


I wonder, will I live to see the Philippines I long to see? Or am I doomed to perpetually bear witness to the evils and cancers that I believe beset our nation?


My second thought is of a line from Jonathan Larson's semi-autobiographic play, Tick, Tick...Boom!  At the play's finale, the main character sings 
"What does it take to wake up a generation? How can you make someone take off and fly? If we don't wake up and shake up the nation, we'll eat the dust of the world wondering why."


Isn't this already what is happening?